Dealing with Danger
by Adel Swiftrider
Summary: another one of those d/g fics where they fall in love, but with lots of twists and turns! plz r&r (the rating may go up as i continue) **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE ADDED- PLEASE READ!!**
1. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed after my first chapter!!! Don't forget to do the same again! btw, potatoes, you need to get a new email account. ttfn!   


  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Well, well, well...," he said, licking his lips, "It seems like I've caught myself a little weasel." _A very pretty weasel, _he added to himself. 

Ginny's initial shock of seeing him there quickly wore off. "It's nice to see you too, Malfoy," she replied coolly, unaffected by his remark. 

"What's this?" He grabbed her purse and dumped its contents into the palm of his hand. A few sickles and a knut were the total amount. "Aw, Weasely, is this all you've got?" He took out a small sac from his pocket and showed her the galleons stuffed in it. He tossed her one. 

"I don't need your charity," she spat back and threw it at him. 

"Ginny!" 

Suddenly Ron, Harry, and Hermione appeared beside her. 

"Is this Slytherin bothering you?" Ron asked as he glared at Draco. Draco shifted his position so he was standing with his arms crossed, looking down at him. 

"Ron, it was nothing," Ginny covered up, "we should get going." She turned to leave and Hermione followed her. 

Once they were out of sight, Ron turned and growled, "Don't you dare mess with my sister or that pretty little head of yours will be scarred forever." He and Harry left, leaving Draco staring after them. He had an amused expression on his face. _I'd like to see him try, _he thought before going into the Apothecary.   
  
  
  


"Gin, are you sure you're okay" Ron asked for about the tenth time after leaving Draco behind. 

She sighed, exasperated. "Yes Ron, I'm fine. I can handle Malfoy and old day. Now can we just go?" 

"Okay...," Ron replied hesitantly, still not believing her.   
  
  
  


"Mabel Ann Malfoy, step forward." 

A young girl, no more than eleven years old, walked up to her father's large desk and stood patiently. 

"You are going to Hogwarts," her father informed her, "If you have any questions or problems, ask your cousin Draco." 

"Yes sir," she answered quietly. She was promptly dismissed and allowed to leave the large study. 

Her raven black hair billowed out behind her as she ran up to her bedroom to write to Draco. He was, by far, her favorite cousin even though he seemed like an egotistical jerk most of the time. You just had to get to know him better. 

_ Dear Draco_, she wrote, _I am going to Hogwarts like I hoped for, D you think you could watch out for me and possibly give me a tour of the place? Thanks!_   
_ Love,_   
_ Mabel_

She sealed the letter with wax and attached it to Artemis, her owl, and sent him off. Her blue sapphire eyes watched him fly away until he was nothing but a speck in the sky.   
  
  
  


"Gin, we're leaving now," Hermione reluctantly told her as they were leaving the Burrow, "We've only got and hour before the train comes." 

Ginny sighed and took one last look before leaving. 

They arrived at King's Cross Station a little while later where they said their final goodbyes and clambered on board the Hogwarts Express, leaving Platform 9 ¾ behind. 

Ginny was sitting by herself when a small girl, most likely a first year, appeared. 

"Excuse me," she said politely, "May I sit here?" 

"Of course," Ginny answered. The girl scooted in the seat and sat before Ginny, looking up at her. Her blue eyes stared straight into Ginny's brown ones. 

Ginny began to feel uncomfortable and attempted to start a conversation. "My name's Ginny. What about you?" 

"Mabel," the girl replied, pushing a strand of black hair away from her face. "Is it true you have to face a troll before being sorted?" 

Ginny stifled a giggle. "No, it's nothing like that. It's not scary at all." She proceeded to tell Mabel all about Hogwarts and all the experiences she'd had there- excluding her first year. She didn't notice when the door between the train cars opened. 

A person cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation. 

"Malf-" Ginny started to say but was cut off when Mabel all of the sudden jumped into his arms. She sat, shocked to see this new development. 

"Where were you?" Draco asked, letting his usually mean demeanor drop. "I was saving you a seat in another compartment." 

"I couldn't find you," Mabel replied. "You're not mad, are you?" 

"No, not at all." He looked up at Ginny. "Have you been having fun?" 

"Yes, tons!" Mabel answered. "Ginny's really nice. Have you met?"   
]   
"Yes we have," he said, returning to his usual self. Ginny glared at him and turned to look out the window. 

"We should go," he told Mabel. 

"Okay," Mabel reluctantly agreed. "Maybe I'll see you around?" she asked hopefully towards Ginny. 

Ginny nodded. "Maybe." 

The two left, leaving Ginny by herself again. She sighed and decided to take a nap.   
  
  
  


They were sitting at the Gryffindor table, waiting for the first years to finish being sorted. 

"Malfoy, Mabel Ann!" the hat shouted. Ginny perked up. She didn't know Mabel was a Malfoy. _Is she his sister? No, _ she shook her head, _Maybe his cousin._

"Slytherin!" 

Mabel walked to the Slytherin table where people shifted to allow her to sit beside Draco._ Whoever she is, she's certainly not like Draco, _Ginny said to herself. 

Draco caught her staring at him and met her gaze squarely. She found herself caught in a trap with his silver eyes staring back intensely at her. 

Suddenly Neville appeared and sat opposite Ginny, blocking the view and snapping her out of her trance. 

"Hi Neville," she greeted, "How was your summer?" 

"Hey Ginny. It was great! Grandma took me to some place in the Caribbean- the Bahamas I think it was called. It was so hot! And all the girls...-" he droned on and on while Ginny pretended to listen. 

Suddenly, the room silenced as Professor Dumbledor stood up to give his speech. "Welcome new students. And welcome back to the rest. Due to recent developments, we are unable to have Professor Trelawney or Professor Guilding with us." Professor Guilding was the previous Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. "In their places will be Professor Manilla and Professor Osciendus." Both new professors stood up and received some applause. "I remind you that the Forbidden Forest is off limits and no magic should be done between classes without authorization. Everyone, enjoy the feats and we look forward to a wonderful year!" 

The food appeared on the table and the students, as well as the teachers, began to dig in. Ginny listened to the conversation between two of her friends, Sam and Vicky, about the new professors. 

"Professor Osciendus looks kinda cute," Sam was saying. 

"No way! He's too old!" Vicky exclaimed. "What do you think of Manilla" 

"Looks like another McGonagall to me." 

Getting bored, Ginny got up and asked Hermione, who was Head Girl, for the password before leaving the banquet hall. 

"Going somewhere?" Draco asked as she reached the foot of the stairs. 

"Yes. To my room." She began to walk back up when he stopped her again. 

"Is it true you're taking all seventh year classes?" he asked. It was a rumor Pansy Parkinson, his girlfriend, had heard and passed on to him. 

She nodded in response and continued her flight. It was true that she was skipping sixth year. In her fifth year, Ginny had found that she worked at a much faster pace than any of her classmates. So, with special permission, she was admitted into the seventh year classes. 

"Just to let you know," he called, "we have Potions _and _Defense Against Dark Arts together." 

She continue upward as if she hadn't heard him. Draco turned and sat on the bottom step. He'd never met a girl quite like Ginny. She wasn't affected by his snide remarks or insults like her brothers- she always had a way of ignoring him and making him frustrated for not being able to unnerve her. 

"Hey Draco," Crabbe said from behind him. He and Goyle had come out moments before. "Have a goal?" 

"What?" Draco looked up quizzically at them. 

"You know, getting the Weasley girl," Goyle answered. 

Draco shrugged. 

"Fifty galleons says you can't," Crabbe bet. Draco's eyes glittered dangerously. 

"Fine." He shook hands on it and it was official. _I can get her easily..._   
  
  
  


Ginny tried to go to sleep despite the fact that her three roommates were up and gossiping about the boys. She'd never really had friends like the people in her in her year, but she wasn't really bothered by that. She liked being alone. 

"What do you think of...Draco Malfoy?" one of them asked and they burst into a fit of giggles. 

"Cute, but dangerous," another one replied. "I wonder if he has a girlfriend." 

"Duh. Pansy Parkinson." 

"Oh her- she's such an annoying prat. Who would ever, in their right mind, go out with her?" 

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Could you guys lower it a bit? I'm trying to sleep." 

"Oh sorry," they apologized and went down to whispers as Ginny drifted off into a dreamless slumber.   
  
  
  
  
  


A.N : Remember to review and also, if you've got any suggestions or comments, feel free to email me at adelswiftrider@hotmail.com. The next chapter will probably be out in a week or so, so look out for it!!   


*Adel Swiftrider 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

Please Review!! Thanks!   
  
  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  


"Virginia Weasley, you get down here this instant!" 

Ginny grimaced at the sound of her mother's yelling from the kitchen. Closing her journal, she got up from her bed and walked down. 

Molly Weasley turned as Ginny entered the kitchen to face her daughter. Ginny smothered a giggle as she saw the state it was in. Flour covered every surface and overturned cans of food littered the counters. 

"Mum," Virginia said, clearing her throat, "what happened?" 

Mrs. Weasley put a hand on her hip and replied, "I was hoping you could tell me." 

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe it was Fred and George." 

Mrs. Weasley sighed "It couldn't have been them. They've been with your father the whole day." 

"Mum we're back!" The door to the Burrow banged open as Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley walked in. 

"Honey, I-" Mr. Weasely froze as he saw the kitchen. 

"What's wrong, Dad?" George pushed his father to look in. "Oh...wow..." 

"What is it? Lemme see!" Fred pulled George back to see. "Did...I miss something Mum?" 

Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes. 

"Okay, so it wasn't Fred and George. What about Ron?" Ginny asked. 

"I don't know-" Molly began to reply but the three Weasley children had already darted out up to Ron's room. 

Ginny rapped on the door and slowly pushed it open. It was definitely Ron all right. The room was covered with flour- just like the kitchen- and his cauldron was in the middle of his desk. Ron was frantically picking up papers strewn across his floor. Ginny bent down to pick one up. She realized it was a recipe for a giant chocolate truffle cake. 

"Um, Ron- what are you doing with this stuff?" Fred asked from behind her. 

Blushing furiously, he mumbled something and grabbed the paper out of Ginny's hands. 

"What was that?" George asked. 

"I'm making a cake for Harry!" Ron yelled out loud, "It's his birthday next week and I wanted to surprise him." 

Suddenly Mrs. Weasley appeared- looking quite upset "Ronald Weasley, you had better clean the kitchen before dinner or I will make you de-gnome the garden till school starts!" 

"Yes Mum," he quipped and ran downstairs. 

_ Harry's birthday is next week? I totally forgot about it, _Ginny thought to herself as she walked back to her room. _I wonder what I should buy him. _For as long as she could remember, Ginny Weasley had always had a crush on Harry Potter. But now she felt it was more than just a crush- she was falling in love with him. 

"Oh fudge!" she exclaimed to her reflection, "It's not like he'll ever notice e anyway. I'm just Ron's little sister, no matter how much I've grown this summer." She pulled her long red curls up and twisted them around in a bun while examining her perfect figure in the mirror. Sighing, she let her hair drop and stared at her reflection. "I just wish I had a chance."   
  
  
  


Later that night, Ginny quietly crept up to Ron's door to peek in. He was still working on the ingredients for the cake. 

"Ron," she whispered softly, "can I come in?" 

"He mumbled a 'yes' and she treaded slowly into his room. She watched him for a few moments and noticed he was struggling with the muggle measuring system. 

"Do you need some help?" she offered. 

"No thanks, this is my gift to Harry. Thanks anyway." He patted her hair affectionately, covering it with flour. Ginny grinned and threw flour at him which ignited a flour fight. They stopped when they were both exhausted and covered head to toe with flour. They both lay on his bed in a comfortable silence. 

Before long, Ron noticed Ginny had fallen asleep. Getting up, he carried her back to her room and tucked her in. Sighing, he reluctantly began admitting to himself that his 'baby sister' was growing up to be a beautiful young woman and that he wouldn't always be there to protect her. In an uncharacteristic brotherly act, Ron leaned down and gave Ginny a quick kiss goodnight and left her room.   
  


Hermione Granger came a day before Harry. He was coming the day of his birthday so his two best friends wanted everything to be perfect. Everything was set up and ready before he arrived at the Burrow. 

Ginny was just as anxious as everyone else. She'd spent the whole day before shopping for a gift and had spent the last of her summer allowance on it. She'd found the perfect present and she knew Harry would love it. 

Harry arrived the next morning- tired, yet quite happy to be with his friends. Ginny handed him her gift first and said quickly, "Happy Birthday Harry," before leaving him, Ron, and Hermione alone. 

Throughout nearly the whole day, Harry couldn't stop thinking about Ginny. It was almost as if she'd changed overnight from the young, freckle-faced girl to a beautiful teenager. Of course he didn't admit this to Ron- he was scared of Ron's over-protectiveness. 

He saved her gift until last after everyone had gone to sleep. It was a golden watch with small snitch-like wings. The words "Gryffindor Seeker" were engraved on the front and on the back, his initials, HP, were engraved to prove his ownership. Harry smiled before putting the watch on and going to sleep.   
  
  
  


"Hey Ginny!" Ron said, knocking on her door, "We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow to buy our school supplies. Wanna come?" 

"Okay!" 

Ginny jumped at the opportunity to spend more time with Harry.   
  
  
  


"Draco!" Lucius said from the hallway outside his door, "you're going tomorrow to buy supplies. Make sure you have your money." 

"Yes Father," Draco replied, rolling his eyes. _I just hope Potter's not there._   
  
  
  


Ginny awoke bright and early the next morning to make sure the trio didn't leave her behind. They had a tendency to forget about others while they were together. 

"Hey Gin," Ron greeted cheerfully as he, Harry, and Hermione came down. "Ready to go?" 

"Yup!" She jumped up and followed them over to the fireplace. "Is Mum coming?" 

Ron shook his head. "Mum and Dad were invited to some social gathering at the Ministry." He handed the jar of Floo Powder to Hermione who reached in and shouted "Diagon Alley" before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

"You next Harry," Ron directed. Harry did the same and Ginny followed after him. Ron was the last one there. 

"What should we buy first?" Hermione asked, reaching for her supply list. 

"Actually, I have to go to Gringotts first and get some money out of the vault," Harry said. 

"We'll go with you." Ron and Hermione began to walk off with Harry when Ginny cut in. "I'll go get my supplies. We can meet up later at the Leaky Cauldron." 

"Sure. Just be careful, okay?" Ron advised before leaving with Hermione and Harry. Ginny went off into Flourish and Blotts to buy her books when a flashy journal caught her eye. She opened it and realized it was a Talking Writer- a new invention where you simply talked to the book and it wrote down whatever you said. She checked the price. Unfortunately, because of its attributes, the costs were high. This particular one was twenty galleons. Putting the book back, she grabbed the rest of her books and made a quick exit. 

She realized she still needed dress robes. She walked into Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and waited patiently as she finished the robes for some first years entering Hogwarts. 

"How can I help you?" Madame Malkin asked as she cleared away the trimmed material left on the ground from the previous customers. 

"I need some dress robes," Ginny answered and moved forward towards the stool, "but nothing too expensive." Madame Malkin circled her twice before snapping her fingers. "I've got the perfect one!" 

A dark green gown appeared on Ginny moments later. She looked in the mirror. _I guess it's alright..._ she though to herself. "I'll take it." 

Ginny paid for the dress and walked out of the stored, wondering where to go next. She looked down and realized she needed a few more things and set off to find them. 

She was exiting the Apothecary, putting away the remainder of her money when she accidentally crashed into someone. Her bags skittered across the pavement as she looked up to see the glittering eyes of Draco Malfoy staring down at her.   
  
  
  


Should I continue this?? or not?? Plz. review and tell me. 

*Adel Swiftrider 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

I'm soooooo sorry for not putting up this chapter sooner. Thanks for being so patient!! 

Thanks for the reviews! And thank you Joyce, for being my beta!! Read, enjoy, and review!!!! Oh, and one more small note, I won't be able to update for little while- i have a field trip to Montreal for a few days. Ttfn!   
  
  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Ginny barely made it to Double Potions with Slytherin on time the next day. Unfortunately, the only available seat was in the middle of the Slytherins where she tentatively sat. 

The class quickly silenced as Snape stood to address the room. 

"Miss Weasley, I would advise you to manage your time better," the Potions Master warned as he glared at her. 

"Yes sir." She quickly pulled out a pen and a piece of parchment to write down notes on. 

"Philtres," Snape started, "What are they?" He glanced around he room. Hermione, as usual, had her hand raised before anyone else. "Mr. Longbottom?" 

Neville started stammering. "Um...uh...aren't they..." 

Snape glared. "You should read the course material before school starts. Five points from Gryffindor." Neville looked down dejectedly and Ginny sent him a look of sympathy. 

Pansy Parkinson raised her hand. "Love potions, " she answered, "anyone would know that." She sent Neville a smug look. He narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath, "The only reason _she _knows is because she needed one of her own." Pansy overheard him and glared before turning away. 

"Correct," said Snape, unaware of the side remark, "Five points for Slytherin." He eyed the Gryffindors again. "What are the three substances they are traditionally made of?" 

Hermione's hand shot up again. Snape, as usual, ignored it. He eyed Ginny. "Miss Weasley?" 

"Wine, water, and...tea," she answered carefully. 

He continued on with the lesson, not granting any points for the correct answer. "A sixteenth century philtre by what wizard included..." 

The class was finally over. Ginny quickly put away her supplies but found she was prevented from leaving her seat by some Slytherins blocking her way. Getting frustrated, she tried to force her way through. Unfortunately, the people she'd tried to push aside were the very big and very intimidating (although stupid) Crabbe and Goyle. 

They glared down at her and began advancing towards her but were stopped, surprisingly, by Malfoy. 

"Leave her alone," he ordered. They took one last look at her before they began leaving. 

Draco turned around and asked, "Are you alright?" Ginny nodded wordlessly, astonished at what he'd just done for her. 

"They can be real jerks," Draco spat. Ginny stared at him curiously. "What?" 

"Nothing," she quickly answered. "Thank you." She darted around him as she wondered what had just caused him to do what he did. One minute he was a jerk and the next he was playing hero. She didn't understand him.   
  
  
  


It was lunchtime and all the students were in the Great Hall. 

"Ginny!" Mabel caught sight of her from the Slytherin table where she was sitting with some of her new friends. 

Ginny's head turned to see the small first year walking up towards her. 

"Hi!" she greeted, "How was your first half of the day?" 

"Great so far," Mabel replied happily. Ginny smiled back. Suddenly, Mabel's 'friends' came over and scolded her. "You shouldn't be fraternizing with Gryffindors," they spat as they stared at Ginny. Mabel mouthed "sorry" as she was led back to her table. Ginny said "it's okay" before returning to her lunch.   
  
  
  


Later on, Ginny was in Defense Against the Dark Arts where the new Professor Osciendus assigned a project. It was to describe an act where dark magic was used by wizards or witches and how it was stopped by others. 

Unfortunately, he assigned the partners. 

"Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger." Harry looked dejected but Ginny noticed Ron and Hermione staring at each other. There was definitely something going on between the two. 

"Harry Potter and Seamus Finnigan." Seamus looked pretty happy and Harry was relieved that he didn't have to work with a Slytherin. 

Professor Osciendus finally got to Ginny. 

"Virginia Weasley and Draco Malfoy." Ginny jaw dropped as her mouth hung wide open. The class stared, either at Ginny, Draco, or the professor. _Me? Work with him! There's got to be a mistake!_

Draco just sat back and stared at her. _Here's my chance..._

"You may not switch partners or leave all the work to one person. The project is not due until the end of the year so I expect a thorough and COMPLETE one by then. Class dismissed." 

Ron was fuming as they left the room. 

Harry was also quite upset. "Why would he do something like this? Ginny doesn't deserve this!" He watched her leave the room quickly. _I just hope that she'll be alright. Malfoy had better not try anything or he's dead!_

"How could he even THINK of doing that!" he burst, "It just isn't RIGHT! Not ONLY is Ginny a year YOUNGER, but they're in two DIFFERENT HOUSES!!!" He continued to rant and rave as they walked to the Gryffindor Common Room. 

"Ginny, we just heard!" Sam and Vicky approached her a little while later. "You're working with Draco Malfoy!" They began to giggle uncontrollable again. "You have to tell us how it goes!" 

"Right....." Ginny slowly edged away and walked up to her room. She flopped on her bed. _This is just great. Not only do I have two classes with Slytherins a year older, but I have to work with the worst one them all. _She sighed. _It's going to be a long year._   
  
  
  


Draco and Ginny planned to meet the next night at the library to discuss their project. 

By the time Ginny arrived, Draco was already there with several books stacked on the side of the table,. She slowly sat across from him and began to talk. 

"I was thinking that we could maybe-" 

"We're doing the Muggle Sacrification Rites of the Late 1700's," he said without giving her a choice. 

"Um...okay." She shrugged and picked up one of the books. 

"It was when some wizards performed sacrificing rites of Muggles to expand their magic. It took a bunch of Aurors and a great deal of magic to put a stop to it," he said, giving her the basic facts. 

"I see. I can research the background and you can research the events," Ginny organized quickly. They sat for a while, reading and taking notes in silence. 

_This isn't that bad..._ Ginny thought to herself. 

"Interesting," Draco suddenly said out loud. 

"What is? she asked. He was looking in the book so she decided to walk over and see what it was. 

Draco suddenly tensed up as she leaned over him to see what he'd been looking at. The smell of her hair and the feeling of her being so close to him was intoxicating. It took all of his self control to keep from kissing her right there and then. 

"What is this?" she asked, turning to meet his face. Their eyes locked and they suddenly seemed impossibly close together. Suddenly, their lips were touching and they were sharing a short, sweet kiss. 

Then, as if he were hot fire, Ginny jumped back, her eyes wide with shock. _What just happened!?_

"I should go," she excused herself before grabbing some books and running out of the library. 

Draco smiled to himself. _It seems I'm winning, _ he told some invisible score keeper before heading up to his own dormitory.   
  
  
  


Ginny paced the Gryffindor Common Room as thousands of little thoughts flew in and out of her brain. 

_Why did he kiss me? Why would he? Was it just a dream? I don't even like him! I'm in love with Harry! I mean, Malfoy's been teasing me and my family for _ages_ and all of a sudden he makes a move! Aaagh! What's wrong with him? He must be playing games with me. _She sat down on a chair and lay her head on her arms. _I'm so confused..._ She fell asleep there and distinctly remembered being carried up to her bed and someone, most likely Ron, complaining good naturedly about her weight.   
  
  
  


The next morning was awful. Ginny arrived late to Potions and lost ten points and then lost another ten points for forgetting her book in her room. Then, in Divination, she'd fallen asleep where Professor Manilla promptly gave her detention. 

By the end of the day, she was feeling horrible but it still wasn't over. She had another meeting with Draco. 

"You look gray Weasel," he told her as she entered. She glared and sat down, prepared to take notes. 

"I did some extra reading," he told her. "They drained the Muggles of their power, like energy, to gain more magic. However, they couldn't do this with other witches or wizards because they were unable to get any." 

"So they just decided to take the power of defenseless Muggles," she completed. 

"I wouldn't say defenseless," Draco argued, "more like stupid. They thought with running around with muskets and bayonets, they could get whatever they wanted." 

"At least they could do things without magic," Ginny retorted, "They used their own inventions. With witched and wizards, magic made things a bit easier." 

They both fell silent before Ginny spoke up again. "Why did you kiss me?" 

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "I...don't know. I just wanted to see what it was like, I guess." Seeing her turn red, he laughed. "Did you think I liked you?" 

"It doesn't make a difference to me," she replied, but in a less friendly tone. _Sure it doesn't Ginny._

_You just blew it Draco,_ he told himself. "I'm not saying you're not likable or anything," he said to try and redeem himself. Ginny raised an eyebrow questioningly. "It's just...I think I do like you, but...ugh.... I don't know." He put his head on down on he table, looking confused. 

"Well, maybe if you asked politely, I would go out with you," Ginny told him. _Oh my god! Did i just say that????_

"One other problem," he brought up, lifting his face. "The others." 

"We could keep it a secret," she suggested, "if you can." He smirked. He was, after all, a Slytherin. 

Ginny rolled her eyes then realized she was supposed to be meeting with her some of her friends. "Sorry, but I have to go. I'll think about your proposal." She gathered up her books and quickly left him. 

_OH-MY-GOD! WHAT JUST HAPPENED THERE?!?! _ Ginny's little voice in the back of her head yelled at her. _I DON'T KNOW!!_

Draco smirked after the receding figure of Ginny Weasley. _I've got her...," _ he said to himself before heading up towards his dormitory.   
  
  
  
  
  
  


Alright...that's all for now. Till next time! Bye! 

*Adel Swiftrider 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

AN: I got back from Montreal yesterday and it was so awesome!!!! I spent about $150 and I still had some left and then i shopped impulsively. I love Canada!!! Now back to the story........ 

REVIEW!!!!!!   
  
  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The next day, while leaving her Potions class, Ginny was pulled aside by Draco. He opened a secret passageway and led her into a dimly lit chamber. 

"Well?" he asked, "Have you come to a conclusion yet Weasel?" 

She rolled her eyes at the nickname, or rather, insult. "Actually, I have." She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I have decided that I will go out with you, Malfoy. But on two conditions. You don't call me Weasel anymore and don't tell anyone about us." 

"Fine," he answered. And so, on that day a tentative relationship was forged between Virginia Weasley and Draco Malfoy. 

It wasn't easy- they had their share of fights. And all through it, Draco was planning the perfect moment to reveal that he had won the bet. 

Weeks passed. Harry didn't suspect a thing. He was also planning something. The perfect moment to ask Ginny out. He had found himself more and more attracted to his best friend's younger sister. Of course he didn't know that Draco and Ginny were seeing each other. 

Mabel, however, had a hunch that something was going on. She caught up with Draco as he entered the Slytherin Common Room one night after coming back from some late night exploring of Hogwarts. 

"What's going on between you and Ginny?" Her eyes bore into his, searching for the truth. 

_I swear,_ he thought to himself, _she could be an auror. She's certainly got the interrogating part down._ "You can't tell anyone, okay?" He dropped his voice to a low whisper. "Ginny and I are going out." 

Mabel squealed with delight. Her favorite cousin and Ginny together was great! "Congratulations!" she told him before skipping off to her dorm happily. 

As time passed, Draco felt himself becoming, unconsciously, closer to Ginny. Maybe it was her trust. Or her easiness around him. Whatever it was, he felt himself unwillingly begin to genuinely care for her. 

He came to a quick solution. _I have to tell the guys before this gets too out of hand, _he told himself. _I can't develop feelings for her. I just can't._   
  
  
  


Ginny walked out onto the Quidditch field, her eyes scanning the sky. She saw a speck in the sky and a flash of silver hair. She decided to take a seat in the stands and wait. 

Meanwhile, up in the air, Draco was deep in thought, reflecting on what had occurred earlier in his dorm. 

_Draco entered the room he shared with three other Slytherins. Crabbe and Goyle were both there, intrigued by Draco's smile._

_ "I win," Draco announced._

_ "You did?" Goyle asked, surprised._

_ "Wait- did you actually **get** the Weasley girl?" Crabbe asked._

_ "She said she'd go out with me," Draco replied smugly._

_ "That's not what we had in mind," Goyle stated, "Did you **get **her?"_

_ Draco suddenly realized what they meant._

_ "You haven't won yet...," Crabbe trailed, gleeful. Malfoy shot him a cold look before leaving the room in a huff to think on his own._

He hadn't expected that. Ginny was really quite sweet and he found it harder and harder to think since her face kept flashing in his mind. Ginny was loyal and she trusted him, a Malfoy, son of a Death Eater. Arch-enemy of Harry Potter- The Boy Who Lived. But she still trusted him. _I think I'm really falling for her, _he thought before shaking his head. 

Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew by, bringing him back to reality where he drifted high up in the air on his new Firebolt Extreme. He saw someone down in the stands. Ginny. her red curls whipped around in he wind, making it look like living fire. He quickly flew down and landed in front of her. 

"Hi!" she greeted, shivering. The cold weather was a surprise since it had begun much earlier than usual. "What were you doing up there?" 

"Thinking," he answered, sitting down beside her. He found himself wrapping his arms around her in an effort to give her some warmth. 

"Draco, may I borrow your broom for Friday's Quidditch match?" Ginny asked after she warmed up a little. 

"Sure, as long as you don't break it," he replied. 

"Draco?" she asked again. 

"Hm?" 

"What are we going to do when people find out about us- you know- me and you?" She stared up at him. 

Draco pondered the question. _If I do what Crabbe and Goyle want me to, no one ever will. But...if others do find out, we'll just have to be another 'couple' in Hogwarts. _He sighed. "We'll deal with it when the time comes." 

They sat in silence until it got too cold before going back in. It was almost time for dinner. Entering the Great Hall separately, they each went to their own tables and sat with others in their houses. 

Ginny watched with avid interest as Ron and Hermione flirted with each other. Ron's face had turned bright red and Hermione was laughing. 

"Hey Ginny." Harry took a seat beside her, opposite his two best friends. 

"Hi Harry," she greeted warmly, turning her attention to her food. 

_Okay, here's my chance._ "Um, Ginny, I was wondering...if you don't have something planned tonight, maybe we could get together?" Harry offered, his emerald eyes hopeful. 

Ginny answered, "I'm sorry Harry. I have to meet up with somebody. Maybe some other time?" 

"Oh ok." Harry stared at his food glumly and poked at it. He'd lost his appetite. _Stupid! Stupid! She probably already has a boyfriend, _he scolded himself. 

Draco was watching from where he was sitting. His fists were white and he'd been clenching them since the moment Harry sat next to Ginny. He had no idea what either one said. 

"Hey Draco," a sickeningly sweet voice came from behind him. "How are you doing?" 

Draco could recognize that voice anywhere. Pansy Parkinson was just _so_ pathetic. She just couldn't understand that he never liked her, he didn't like her, and probably never would. She just would not take a helpful hint. 

"Pansy," he greeted emotionlessly as he continued to watch Ginny and Harry. 

"Draco!" Mabel suddenly slipped under Pansy and appeared by Draco's side. 

"Mabel, hello," he said as he saw his young cousin. "Sit." Mabel sat beside him. 

"Guess what!" she said excitedly. "Mum and I are going to tour Europe again during Christmas vacation. She owled me this morning!" 

Pansy rolled her eyes and left. 

"That's wonderful," Draco agreed, be sure to buy me something." 

"Of course!" Mabel looked at him as though it was impossible to forget about him. She had such an innocent look upon her face that Draco wondered why she wasn't put in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. But he knew why. All Malfoys were expected to be Slytherins to keep their family name held up. 

"Mabe, could you go talk to Ginny for me for a second?" Draco asked randomly. 

"Sure. What do you want mt to say?" Mabel asked. 

"Ask her if she's coming tonight. She'll understand," Draco told her. Mabel got up and quickly walked over. 

"Hi Ginny!" Mabel said. 

"Hi Mabel," Ginny replied. Harry stared and Mabel who suddenly found herself face to face with a living legend. 

"Mabel? Hello? Did you want to tell me something" Ginny waved her hand in the younger girl's face. 

"Oh, um, are you coming tonight?" she quickly repeated Draco's message. Ginny looked confused for a second before she saw Draco with a questioning look on his face. 

"Yes, I'll be there," she replied hastily. Harry stared at her curiously. Mabel waved good-bye and returned to her table. Ginny resumed to eating her good but Harry had seen who she'd been looking at. Draco Malfoy.   
  
  
  


Everyone was in bed as Ginny crept out of her dorm to the Common Room. Once there, she climbed out the portrait hole and snuck down the maze of stairs and corridors to meet Draco. He was already in their meeting spot but concealed in his invisibility cloak. He wanted to watch her as she waited. 

Ginny leaned against the all and checked her watch. Getting tired, she sat down and pulled her knees up to her chin. Before long, Draco heard her light snoring. 

Draco took off the invisibility cloak and sat down next to her. He prodded her with a finger but she murmured something incoherent and shifted slightly. He kept on poking her until she finally opened her eyes and glared at him. 

"I was sleeping!" she growled and sniffed. 

"Not anymore," he said in response. He leaned over her and kissed her on her mouth. She felt all her anger disappear as she melted under his touch. His hands roamed over her robes as she ran her fingers though his silky hair. 

"Oh...my...," someone said. They pulled away and looked up and there stood Harry, his invisibility cloak partially covering him. He pulled it over his head and they heard his receding footsteps. 

Draco stood up and pulled Ginny up. 

"I guess they'll all know now," Ginny finally spoke, "I should get back before they notice I'm gone." 

"Good night," he said softly, giving her one more kiss. 

"Good night." She ran off and left Draco along. Slowly, he went back to his dorm room.   
  
  
  


Harry was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, thinking. He didn't want want to believe it was possible, but he'd seen it with his own two eyes. Ginny and Draco together, kissing. He paced back and forth angrily, wishing to curse Draco with everything he knew. 

The portrait hole opened as Ginny crept in. 

"Harry?" she asked quietly. 

"Don't talk to me Ginny," he answered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Don't come near me. Do you know what you've done? Draco is evil- probably even a death eater and you're out there snogging him without a care in the world. There are consequences for your actions. And please, don't ever talk to me again." With that, he left her there, gaping after him. 

Ginny had never felt more hurt in her life. She knew Draco wasn't as cruel or as rude or as mean as he seemed to be. _If only Harry could understand,_ she sighed. 

Tiredly, she made her way up to bed and tried to sleep. Her dreams were plagued by Harry and his insults.   
  
  
  


Ginny wasn't seen the next day. Vicky told the others that she was sick and the excuse was accepted. Tuesday rolled by, as did Wednesday and Thursday. Soon came Friday. 

The Gryffindors were up against Ravenclaw. However, when the time came to start, Ginny was nowhere to be found. 

Ron walked to Ginny's dorm room. "Ginny," he asked, "Are you okay?" No response. He opened the door and walked in. No one was there. 

Ginny wasn't really _gone, _she was just in another part of the school. With Draco. 

"Did Harry tell anybody?" Draco asked, worry lining the question. Ginny shook her head. 

A small shriek erupted from the other end of the hall. Suddenly Ginny was being pinned to the wall by a much larger, pug faced, Pansy Parkinson. 

"What are you doing here?! Draco is _my _boyfriend!" Pansy said, violently shaking Ginny. 

"Pansy, let here go!" Draco pushed Pansy so she fell on the ground. Shock was written on her face. 

"Your father will hear of this," she spat before getting up and leaving. Draco bent down to help Ginny up. 

"Uh-oh...," Ginny said, realizing something. 

"What? Are you hurt?" Draco asked, concerned. 

"The Quidditch game!" she exclaimed. "We've got to go!" Draco called for his broom which he quickly handed over to Ginny. 

"I'll see you after the game," she promised before zooming out on the broom. Draco followed, at a much slower pace, out to the field.   
  
  
  


Next chapter: quidditch game, plot revealed, and so much more! 

*Adel Swiftrider 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

Hi everyone! I was trying to put this up earlier, but then I realized I coudn't because ffn had problems again. I hope it doesn't happen as much. Oh, and thanks Joyce for being _such _a good beta- your help is greatly appreciated! Anyway, I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter and expect the next one in a week or so! Please remember to review! 

Oh yeah, I'm sorry for any typos, grammar mistakes, that stuff- i just don't have enough time to go back and check it over. If anyone wants to help, send me an email at adelswiftrider@hotmail.com. I'm also sorry if the chapters are too short- i'm working on making them longer ok? 

On to the story!!   


  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Ginny! Where have you been?" Harry demanded to know when she approached the team. 

"I had something to do," she answered evenly. Harry glowered at her. 

Thankfully, Madame Hooch blew her whistle to get their attention. "Now that Miss Weasley is here , we can start the game." The two captains stepped forward and shook hands. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and everyone ascended quickly into the air. 

Ginny zoomed around and hit the bludgers towards the Ravenclaw players. Her broom, or rather Draco's broom, was quite fast- giving her an advantage. 

Mabel was among the many students in the crowd. She cheered with the Gryffindors silently whenever they scored. She watched Ginny with excitement. 

Suddenly, both bludgers had launched towards Ginny. She saw the one coming from the front, but she wasn't prepared for the one behind her. As she knocked the other aside, the one in back collided squarely with her skull in a sickening thud. The impact threw her off the broom and she fell headfirst towards the ground. But then she started to slow down in mid-air and she landed hard, but not as hard as anticipated. 

Mabel had no idea what she'd done. When Ginny began to fall, the little girl had began to chant some sort of spell. Mabel didn't know what it did, but she was certain it was what caused Ginny to slow down. 

The Gryffindor players landed quickly to get to their fallen player. Harry got there first- all events from the previous week forgotten as he cradled her limp body. 

"Ginny," he croaked hoarsely, "Ginny!" She was unresponsive. He felt blood gushing from the back of her head. 

Draco arrived, unsure of what was going on. When he saw Harry carrying Ginny off the field, he became alarmed. He rapidly cut over to Harry. "What happened?" he asked. 

"It's none of your concern." Harry tried to push Draco aside. Draco stepped in front of him, preventing passage. 

"She's my girlfriend. I deserve to know," Draco said in a low voice so only Harry could hear him. Harry remained silent so Draco did the only other thing left. He punched Harry. 

Draco took Ginny from a shocked Harry whose eye was beginning to swell as a result from the blow. Briskly, Draco carried Ginny inside.   
  
  
  


_"No! Don't hurt me! Please!!!" A young girl, her face streaming with tears, was led to the middle of a chalk drawn circle surrounded by masked Death Eaters._

_ "Be silent!" A Death Eater stepped forward. "Tie her." The girl was bound to a wooden post, the wind blowing wildly into her hair._

_ It became deathly quiet all of a sudden._

_ "Master...," the same hushed tone echoed through the gathered Death Eaters._

_ "Is this the girl?" He hissed, extending a pale hand to touch her wildly blowing raven black hair._

_ "Yes master," a Death Eater to her side confirmed._

_ "Excellent...." He reached up and touched her face. "Soon.., your power, will be my power..." Suddenly he leaned in and bit her neck, drawing blood._

_ "AAAHH!!" she screamed in agony._

"AAAHH!!" Ginny's eyes flew open as she sat straight up in the Infirmary bed she'd been placed on. 

Madame Pompfrey scuttled in to her room. "What?" she asked, alarmed. She looked around the room to see if anything was astray. The only thing she saw was a very shook up Ginny and an undisturbed, sleeping Malfoy at her side. 

"Um...it was nothing," Ginny lied, "I just thought I saw something." 

Madame Pompfrey clucked in disapproval before leaving the room. 

Ginny, who'd caught sight of Draco, gently shook him awake. 

He awoke a little bit later- sleep deprivation evident in his eyes. "Ginny," he said slowly, "How are you?" 

"Fine," she answered. 

"Sure?" he asked, looking a little more alert. "You look funny with that bandage on your head. Like the Mojo Jojo monkey from that muggle show- PowerFluff girls or something like that." 

Ginny looked surprised. "You watch that show?" 

"Mabel used to make me when we were stuck at her house over the summer," he answered, looking down at his shoes. 

"I thought you hated muggles." Ginny looked at him curiously. 

"I do. But they do have some things that are entertaining- in their weird, muggle way," Draco answered, shrugging. 

Ginny giggled. "So how long have I been here anyway?" 

"Three days," he replied, "You were hit quite hard by that bludger." 

Now she remembered what had happened. She fignered her bandage slowly. "Is Harry still mad at me?" 

"I wouldn't say mad...," Draco trailed. Seeing the confused look on her face, he hastily added, 'He's dropped by a few times to check up on you. Ron and Hermione were here earlier, too. Oh," he reached in his robe pocket and pulled out a small package, "Mabel wanted me to give you this." 

She slowly took the package in her hands, wondering what it could be. It was solid and rectangular to her senses so she guessed it was a book. Quickly, she unwrapped the gift and stared in wonder. "A Talking Writer..." She turned to Draco. "These are so expensive!" 

He shrugged. "Malfoys are rich." He loked over the book admiringly. "This is one of the latest models," he remarked, "Choice of color, font, size, _and_ it's voice guarded. Only you can open it unless you program it to do otherwise." 

"This is wonderful! I'll have to give Mabel a thank-you note." She fingered the gift. The book was colored entirely in green dragon hide and was bordered with gold scales. The Flourish and Blotts store insignia was inlaid on the back left hand corner. 

"Draco?" she suddenly asked. "What do you know about Death Eater rituals?" 

He hadn't been expecting a question like that since it was so far off from the topic of her new gift. He regained his composure quickly and answered. "Well, most of them have to be performed at certan times of the year according to the phasses of the moon, planetary alignments, that sort of thing. Som ecall for sacrifices. All of them are for power. He scowled. "Father wanted me to get the Mark. As early as this Christmas." 

Ginny frowned. "You're not going to go through with it, are you?" 

Draco shrugged. "It's quite likely. Especially since Father's so determined to make me the youngest Death Eater ever. If things were _my _way, I'd wait." 

"So you want the mark?" she asked. 

"In a way, yes," he replied, sounding aloof and distant. He glared at her disapproving look. 'I was raised by a Death Eater. It's the only way I know how to live. You can't just renounce the values you were raised with."He turned away, refusing to look at her. 

"What if...," she paused hesitantly, "What if there was someone to help you?" 

He turned and looked her in the eye. He saw faithfulness, courage, and most of all, love. 

"I can't," he refused, "I can't." He pulled away from her. "You don't deserve someone like me. You deserve better." He looked up at the clock.   
"I have to go. Get better soon." 

"Draco wait," Ginny pleaded. "Does this mean we're breaking up?" 

Refusing to look her in the eye, her nodded. "I think it would be the best for both of us. We'll just pretend nothing ever happened." He turned and exited quickly. 

Tears gathered in Ginny's eyes. "But I_ love _you," she whispered to the silence. She sat there, crying to herself and eventually fell asleep.   
  
  
  


_The young girl was alive, but barely. Her head was hanging forward while the only thing holding her up were her bound, bleeding arms. The only indication of her consciousness was her shallow breathing,_

_ The largest cloaked figure stepped away from the girl, blood glistening on his lips. He pulled his cloak off to reveal his identity. "Master.." All the Death Eaters bowed respectfully._

_ "I am finally back!" He tuend and Ginny could see his face. Voldemort. He cackled evilly as the others present turned and smiled triumphantly._   
  
  
  


Ginny's woke up abruptly. She lay still for a while, thinking of the dream. Finally, she reached for her Talking-Writer. 

"Open," she commanded. _My dreams are definitely **not** normal. I need to keep track of them and research more about dark rituals."_

"Dear Journal," she began. She then proceeded to describe her dreams in detail for the rest of the afternoon.   
  
  
  


"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione crept up behind Ron in the Gryffindor Common Room. He was facing the fire, thinking intently. 

"Ron?" She waved her hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance. 

He looked up at her. "I was just thinking. Ginny with Draco- it just doesn't seem possible." 

"Ron, she's a big girl now. She can make her own decisions. Even if we don't exactly approve," Hermione argued. 

"If Malfoy so much as hurts her feelings, it'll be my fist in his face," Ron growled. 

Hermione shook her head. Then a sly smile slowly formed on her lips. 'I know something that'll take your mind off things," she whispered in his ear seductively. "Come." 

The two disappeared somewhere off in the Hogwarts castle, doing what most young couples do.   
  
  
  
  


_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_   
_ It has come to my attention that your son has been seeing_   
_ the youngest Weasley child. I believe that she is trying to get_   
_ information about our Lord from him. I would advise you to put_   
_ a stop to their relationship as soon as possible._

_ Sincerely,_   
_ Pansy Parkinson_

Pansy's malicious grin grew as she attached themessage to her owl, Hades, and sent him off to the Malfoy Manor. 

_Soon you'll be mine..._   
  
  
  


"The Mackled Malaclaw is a highly unlucky...," the teacher droned on as Ginny immersed herself in thinking about her dreams. For the past few days, Ginny had been unalbe to sleep for fear of her quickly intensifying dreams. 

Draco watched her from the other side of the room, concerned. Even with the cover up spells, he could see the dark circles under Ginny's eyes. He shook off his worry and returned his attention to the teacher. 

As she wandered off to her next class, she tried to identify the girl in her dreams. There were plenty of students with black hair like in her dream, but none seemed particularly outstanding. She'd guessed that the girl was fourteen in her dream, so she'd be a fourth year. 

Ginny took carefully under considereration that it could be someone from Beauxbatons or Durmstrang as well. 

"Ginny!" Ron drew her aside after searching desperately for her. 

"Yes?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently. 

"Listen...," he started, shifting on his feet nervously," About Malfoy and that, I just want to let you know..." He looked into her expectant eyes. "I'm alright with you seeing him." 

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Too late Ron," she answered, "There's nothing there anymore." She turned on her heel and left a surprised Ron gaping after her. 

The topic of Draco still bothered her. They'd only been separated for a week, but to Ginny it had felt like years. And they still had to work on their project. 

Ginny shook off her thoughts and proceeded to go to Divinations.   
  
  
  


Later that evening, Ginny had to meet Drao in the library to do some more work on their project. 

As they sat across from each other, reading their reference books, the lights suddenly went out and they were left in darkness. A few shrieks were heard and Madame Pince tried to calm everyone down. 

It was pitch black. Ginny tried the _Lumos_ spell, but it was ineffective. Hearing something thud behind her, she jumped out of her seat and next to Draco. 

Draco, who'd remained unaffected by the lack of lighting, was surprised when two arms wrapped around him. It was Ginny- he could tell by her sweet smell and small figure which was trembling with fear. 

"D-D-D-Draco, I'm scared," Ginny told him. 

"It's just the dark," he answered. "There's nothing there." 

"Wrong!" A rough voice growled. Suddenly Ginny was pulled from Draco. She found her mouth being covered with a cloth and she promptly passed out. 

"Father?" Draco whispered. 

"You should know better that to consort with these types of girls," Lucius scolded fiercely, "Let this teach you a lesson." 

Draco tried to feel around but there was nothing there. Then the lights came back on. 

There was only one problem. Ginny was missing.   
  
  
  


ooooOOOoooo cliffie.....i love these...hehe 

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!! (I'm a little hyper right now...)   
::bouncing off walls::   


*Adel Swiftrider   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

AN: I told you I'd have the next chapter up really soon! Thanks Joyce for being such a great beta- and I apologize for any little grammarical errors. And thanks you to all who reviewed before- that's what inspires me to keep writing. The day I get no reviews is the day I'll stop writing, but until then, I'll be here and typing away! On to the fic!   
  
  
  


**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Damn, damn, damn...," Draco growled as he paced the floor of his dormitory. "How did he find out?" Slumping into a chair, he ran his hand through his sleek hair, unable to think clearly. 

"Hey Draco..." 

He looked up to see Pansy standing in the doorway of his dorm. 

"What do you want _now,_ Pansy?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the hardwood desk before him. 

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," she answered, walking forward so she ended up behind his chair. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "How's your little Weasel doing tonight?" 

"Why you!" Standing up, he whirled around to face her evenly. Without warning, he pushed aside the chair and grabbed her neck, and promptly shoved her into the wall. "You told him, didn't you?" he snarled. 

Pansy refused to answer, only managing to shake her head a little due to his hold on her. She was rewarded with his grip tightening, cutting off the air. 

"Okay," she rasped, "I did. I told him!" 

At this point Draco was as mad and as irrational as a wild bull, and he would have killed Pansy had it not been for Crabbe and Goyle who entered just as he was beginning to increase his death grip. 

"Draco, man, what're you doing?" Crabbe asked stupidly as though he couldn't understand the scene laid out in front of him. 

Releasing Pansy, Draco grabbed his cloak and rushed out, leaving a breathless Pansy and two confused roommates behind. 

"I..he...what..." Pansy spluttered, her face pink. There were red finger marks on her neck. The realization of what could have happened struck her- leaving her speechless. _Oh, Draco, you're in for it now..._   
  
  
  


"Hey, Harry, have you seen Ginny?" It had been a few hours since the blackout and nearly everyone had returned to their rooms. Harry was seated in the Common Room, staring at the fire while waiting for Ron to come down to play a game of Wizard's chess. 

"No, I haven't," Harry said to Hermione. _Where **had** she gone?_

"Oh, Hermione, I think I saw her in the library a little while ago with Draco Malfoy." Lavender had overheard her question as she passed by carrying some newly borrowed books. 

"Thanks!" Hermione called out after her retreating figure before returning to Harry. Sighing, she looked at the portrait hole anxiously. "She should have been back by now," she stated, even though it was obvious. 

"Maybe she's off snogging Malfoy," Harry answered absentmindedly. "What?" he asked when Hermione turned to glare at him. 

"Don't you know she broke up with him?" Hermione said in a low voice. 

Harry raised an eyebrow. "She what?" 

"Well, I don't have all the details, but they broke it off about a week ago. Haven't you noticed how withdrawn she's been?" Seeing him pull away she shook her head. "Oh right," she added sarcastically, "_You_ were mad at her because of Malfoy." 

They sat in front of the fire, not saying a word. 

When Ron came down in search of Harry a half-hour later, they were still in the same positions, staring at the fire as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. 

"Hey Hermione, Harry," Ron greeted, sitting beside Hermione and slipping his arm around her waist. "Harry, is there something wrong?" 

"Nothing," he answered, "except for the fact that your little sister is missing and the last person she was seen with was _Malfoy_." 

"What?!" Ron quickly stood up. "But they broke up! Who _knows_ what they're up to!" Angrily, he stormed towards the portrait hole. 

"Ron!" Hermione jumped up and grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?" 

"To find Malfoy and my sister!" He was about to step out when he pivoted on his feet to face Harry. "I want the map." He was referring to the Marauder's Map Harry had gotten in his third year from Fred and George. 

"No," said Harry, "I'll get the map and we'll go find her together. "I'm coming too," Hermione added firmly. 

Harry rushed upstairs and quickly unrolled the map. Ginny was nowhere to be found. But then there was Malfoy. He seemed to be in the dungeons, walking around. 

"Let's go," Harry ordered as they snuck out under his invisibility cloak and went in pursuit of Malfoy.   
  
  
  


Draco had gone to the dungeons hoping he could find a way out of Hogwarts. He knew where his father had taken Ginny. He just didn't know how his father had gotten out of Hogwarts without Apparating. When he was younger, he remembered his father talking about a way into Hogsmeade through a secret passageway in the dungeons leading to an alley or something of that sort. 

Resting against the wall, he his head against the cold stone in frustration. _I wish I'd never agreed to that bet. _Closing his eyes, he thought, _Ginny wouldn't have been in this mess. _A small, nasty part of him then chose to speak. _Why should you care about her? After all, she **is** a Weasley- a no good mudblood lover and a disgrace to the wizarding world..._Suddenly an image flashed in his mind. His father holding his dead pet cat saying, _"Caring is a weakness, Draco...we do **not** allow the weak in this family." I am not weak!! _he yelled in his mind. Another small, much quieter voice added, _but you love her._ Draco turned to the wall, pounding it with his fists to get rid of his pent-up stress and anger. Towards Pansy. Towards his father. Towards Ginny. _Ginny..._ he thought, _I'll save you...just hold on..._

"Malfoy..." 

A calm, clear voice immediately caused Malfoy to stop punching the wall. He turned around but already knew who to expect. 

"Potter." He said simply. 

Harry removed the cloak to reveal him, Ron, and Hermione. 

"I see you've brought your little friends along with you," Draco sneered, ignoring the glares they sent. 

"I'm only going to ask once," Harry warned, "Where is Ginny?" 

Draco laughed. He looked almost crazy. "Even if I knew where she was, I wouldn't tell you," he spat. 

Harry was about to go over and punch him in the face but Ron held him back while Hermione tried to ask. 

"Malfoy," she said, "We're worried about her. Are you aware that she did not return to Gryffindor tower this evening? We're trying to look out for her-trying to help her like any concerned friends would." 

"You can't help her!" Draco shook his head. "Where she's been taken, it would be a miracle if she ever saw the light of day again." 

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, bewildered. 

"She was kidnapped. During the blackout. That's why there was even a blackout in the first place," Draco explained, rolling his eyes. 

"Why would anyone want her?" Ron demanded to know. 

"Because of me...of what we had. It's all my fault..." Draco faltered, looking down at the floor again. 

"Where was she taken?" Hermione persisted on obtaining more information. 

Draco paused. "Malfoy Manor," he said finally, his voice hoarse, "Most likely to the dungeons." He slumped against the wall and sank down to the floor, burying his face in his arms. His knuckles, Hermione noticed, were bleeding, the crimson blood standing out on his pale skin. 

"Malfoy!" Harry growled and pulled up the shaken boy. "Tell us how to get there!" 

Draco looked up and shook his head. "I'm not permitted to tell." 

"Good grief, Draco, at a time like this, you choose to be stubborn. Ginny's _life _is at stake here," Ron yelled in exasperation. 

"Don't you think I _know_ that?" Draco yelled back. 

Hermione considered another option. "If you can't tell us, could you take us?" 

Draco thought of her idea for a moment. "I suppose...," he answered slowly, "but, if you get caught, you cannot reveal to my father how you got there or who told you. Do you understand?" 

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why not?" 

"Because," Draco replied, "if this were to pass on to him, I would be disowned and thrown out of the Malfoy household without a knut in my vault." 

"Why should we care?" Ron snorted in contempt, thinking of all the times Draco had teased him, Harry, Hermione, or any of his Hogwarts friends for that matter, including his sister Ginny. 

"That's only my lightest sentence. The next best thing would be having the Killing Curse laid upon me. Now what would your sister say if she found out the reason I died was because of you three?" he rebutted instantaneously. 

Ron thought it over. Reluctantly, he saw Draco's point. "Fine," he agreed for the three of them, "We won't tell." 

"That means you have to stay hidden when we go rescue her. The entire time," Hermione said as she thought of rescuing Ginny. 

"I have an invisibility cloak of my own," Draco replied smugly. 

"Then let's go!" Harry exclaimed. 

"No." Hermione stopped Harry. "We have to wait a few days. At least one day. Make it look like we're trying to figure out where Ginny is- to Mr. Malfoy- and try and cover up her disappearance in school so as not to worry a lot of people. If we tell any of the teachers, they'll never let us go. We have to keep it between the four of us." 

"Good idea," Ron said, although still bothered by the fact that his sister would be left alone for an entire day in a dungeon. 

"Fine. We'll meet on the fourth floor tomorrow. Midnight," Harry told Draco. 

Draco nodded and set off towards the Slytherin dungeons while the other three went back up to the tower.   
  
  
  


Virginia Weasley was definitely **not** having a good time. 

"Let me out!" she yelled from her prison cell, her voice echoing through the rest of the dungeon. She rattled the bars, trying to get one loose, but to no avail. She was locked up and locked up good. The only way she'd get out was if she was released, and she shuddered to think of the torture they probably had in store for her. 

After a while, she sat down against one of the walls, quietly trying to think of a way out. She knew there was no way out, but there was nothing much else to do. 

Suddenly, her thoughts turned to Draco. Her tall, handsome, boyfriend. _Ex-_boyfriend, she corrected. His cocky smile. His arrogant personality. His inner turmoil. _I miss him..._she sighed. _Please, Draco, save me..._

Elsewhere in a Slytherin dorm room in the Hogwarts dungeons, Draco Malfoy was just crawling into bed when he though he heard a voice in his head. _Please, Draco, save me..._ It was Ginny. It had to be. 

_ Don't worry, I'll save you..._he said firmly. _Just hold on..._   
  
  
  


The next day, Hermione slipped Draco a note as she passed him in the hallway. 

_ Bring your broomstick, _it wrote. 

Ron and Harry convinced Ginny's roommates that she'd been with Hermione the whole night and was feeling somewhat sick so she wasn't going to attend class. They bought the excuse and went about their business without another thought about Ginny except for the initial, "I hope she feels better later." 

The day seemed to toil continuously- classes slowly crawling by. Lunch taking forever for people to eat and drink. Finally, after a seemingly endless day, the time came. 

Draco showed up with his Firebolt Extreme and his cloak draped over his arm. Harry had his own Firebolt Extreme while Ron carried Harry's old Firebolt. Hermione wasn't the best at flying so she was going to ride with Ron. 

"Well, Potter, how are we getting out?" Draco asked him. 

Harry pulled out his map. "On this floor, behind that mirror (he pointed), there's a passageway that leads into Hogsmeade. It was caved in but Fred and George somehow cleared it during their last year here. I haven't used it before so I don't know exactly where in Hogsmeade it leads." He walked over to the mirror and promptly said, "_Ouvredium!_" and it quickly opened up for him. 

"Let's go then!" Harry walked in quickly followed by Hermione and Ron- and finally Draco. He whispered _Lumos _and held his want out before him as the mirror closed behind him. He gently donned the cloak and sat on the broom. 

"Get on your brooms," he ordered, "We can't waste time walking." He took the lead as they zoomed off through the passageway following the light coming from the ends of their wands, which was also the only part of Draco that Harry, Ron, or Hermione could actually see. 

They arrived in Hogsmeade a short while later, coming out of a storage room used for recycled brooms. 

Draco flew up to scan the area before setting off. The four of them swiftly rushed to Malfoy Manor to save Ginny Weasley from her impending doom.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Okay...well, all I have to say is I hope you liked it!   


*Adel Swiftrider 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K.Rowling and those ppl. I only wish it could be mine. 

AN: I had this chapter done faster than usual- then again, that's because I had absolutely nothing to do since my blisters popped and I can't walk properly- it's like a double limp type thing. I've decided, after I'm finished with the whole fanfic, that I will go back and re-edit this story from front to back and fix any small typo or grammarical error that's there. So please stop picking on me! Lol. I'll shut up now. Remember- REVIEW....or else... (not that I can really do anything to you, but still...)   
  


  
  
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**Dealing with Danger**   
**by: Adel Swiftrider**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_"Don't worry, I'll save you...just hold on..."_

Ginny clung to those words- she was certain it had been Draco. So far, nothing had happened to her, but she knew it was too much to hope for to come out of this experience unscathed. 

Huddling in the back corner in her prison cell, she brought her knees up so she could rest her chin upon them. 

Suddenly, she heard the large dungeon door clang open as a small procession of five Death Eaters entered. The one in front pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal the cruel faced Lucius Malfoy under it. Instinctively, Ginny curled up tighter in a futile attempt to hide from him. 

"Tsk, Tsk, Miss Weasley," Lucius said, slipping a key in the lock on her door. "Where's your family pride?" With a small 'click,' the door unlocked and was immediately opened. "Look at you," he spat, walking towards her. "A pathetic, sniveling little wench." 

"At least I'm not as desperate for power as you!" Ginny said, looking him straight in the eye. "If it weren't for You-Know-Who, nobody would so much as glance at you." 

"What did you say, little girl?" he asked, grabbing her neck and hauling her to her feet. 

"I said that you're a desperate and pathetic fool!" she answered, her Weasley temper getting the best of her. Lucius didn't take to it too well. He slammed her head into the stone wall. Hard. 

Ginny saw red dots for a moment before Lucius' face appeared in front of her again. She felt something trickling down her neck but wasn't able to reach behind herself as Lucius, glaring at her intensely, barked orders for two of the men to take her. 

She was half dragged, half carried to another chamber. Groggily, she tried to see in the light, but having been in the dark for so long, the brightly lit room stung her sensitive eyes. 

Squinting, her eyes began to adjust to the lighting as she started to make out the blurry images of a table, some lit torches, and various weapons with other things hanging on the walls. She felt her hand and feet being bound and was too weak to resist. When she looked at her bindings, she was attached to chains extending from the ceiling and the floor. 

Ginny closed her eyes, wishing this was just a nightmare. When she opened them again, she was face to face with Lucius again. Making sure she was watching him carefully, Lucius backed away before walking over to the desk. Opening a drawer, he pulled out a small glass case. Gently, he removed the cover and lifted up a small, sharp dagger. The small hilt was engraved with the Malfoy dragon and it's blade gleamed wickedly, as though it had a mind of its own and was anticipating Lucius' plan. 

Ginny felt her heart beat faster as she stared, fearful of what was to come. Lucius was smiling. That was definitely not good. 

Circling around her, he tugged at her Hogwarts robe. "Get rid of it," he ordered. It disappeared seconds later to reveal her clothed in the usual white blouse, gray vest, tie, skirt, knee high stockings, and shoes. 

"What are you going to do?" Ginny said, eyeing the dagger as it was brought close to her face. 

"Oh...just a little something," Lucius answered in a low voice. "To remind you _not_ to mess around with Malfoys." He tore off her left sleeve, revealing her pale arm. He it from its bindings and grasped her wrist tightly with his free hand. Ginny's eyes widened as she realized what he was planning to do. 

His cruel smile widened as he pressed the edge of the blade against the soft, white skin. Ginny wanted to pull her arm away from him, but she knew it if she did, she'd end up with a huge gash down her arm. 

Refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream in pain, she bit down on her lower lip while Lucius began to etch a dragon into her arm with the dagger. It seemed like eternity and by the end, Ginny's mouth was filled with the salty taste of her own blood. 

Lucius re-chained her arm and stepped back to admire his handiwork. Then, thinking of a new idea, he walked to the wall behind her and grabbed a leather whip with a metal tipped end. Casting another spell, Ginny's gray vest and tie disappeared. A feeling of dread flooded her senses as her body tensed up. 

Walking behind her, Lucius clenched the weapon tightly in his hand as he prepared for the first blow. "My dear Miss Weasley," he said, "We're going to have a little...fun." Almost immediately, Ginny found her back firing up with excruciating pain from the first hit. He hit her five more times in different places. Too weak to stand, Ginny hung limply from the chains as the dug into her wrists. 

"That should teach you never to associate with my son again," Lucius snarled, stopping his thrashings. Ginny waited for more, but when none came, she gave a small sigh of relief. Then, unexpectedly, Lucius lashed out again, hitting her in the exact six spots he had slashed before, re-opening the wounds. Ginny screamed- the pain too much for her to handle. As he continued his relentless beating, she mercifully passed out.   
  
  
  


"Hurry up Ron," Hermione whispered. "We don't want to lose Harry and Malfoy." She could barely see the two lights ahead of them. 

"I'm trying to go as fast as I can," Ron said, irritated. Then the other two lights started to descend and Ron quickly followed. 

Draco and Harry were waiting for them, only their heads visible. Off in the distance, the large gates enclosing the Malfoy Manor were visible in the moonlight. 

"Why are we so far from the house?" Ron asked as he touched solid ground. They were in a large field with a forest next to them. 

"The Manor is guarded by all sorts of spells and curses," Draco replied. "We have to enter through one of the secret passages." He walked towards the edge of the forest. They followed him into the woods as he eventually stopped before a large, wide tree. Making the three turn away, Draco pressed a small knot in the base of the tree. Part of the trunk pushed out and slid to the side, revealing a dark, downward spiraling staircase. "Follow me." Draco took the lead once again and disappeared down the stairs. 

Reluctantly, Harry followed with Ron and Hermione sticking close. 

"Board your brooms again," came Draco's voice as they entered a stone-walled tunnel 

A short while later, they came to a large wooden door. "Leave your brooms here," Draco ordered and they placed them against the wall to the side of the door. 

Fumbling around under his cloak, Draco pulled out a small key. Pulling his hood over his head, he waiting for the others to crawl under with Harry before slipping the key into the lock. The door clicked open and he stuck his hand out so they could follow him in. 

They were already close to the dungeons, Harry could tell. They began passing empty cells shortly. Then, the sound of footsteps came from the other end of the dungeons. Draco quickly drew in his hand and held his breath. Soon, his father and a group of Death Eaters appeared and passed the invisible teens without noticing them. 

Once Draco was sure they were gone, he brought his wand out. 

"She's being held in the torture chamber," he said, deducting that from the direction his father had just been coming from. "It's at the end of this hall." 

"Well, don't just stand there!" Harry snapped. "We have to go get her!" 

"Right." Draco immediately set off running followed closely by the trio. He entered the chamber cautiously. Spotting Ginny, he ran over to her, pulling off his cloak. 

"_Petrificus Totalus!_" Hermione's voice rang through the room. Looking behind himself, Draco saw the frozen body of a Death Eater. He hadn't noticed him when he'd entered. _I hope he didn't see me,_ he thought grimly. 

Returning to the young girl before him, his eyes filled with shock as he saw the condition she was in. "Ginny," he said hoarsely. Her eyes fluttered momentarily as he quickly unlocked the chains binding her and caught her in his arms. 

Ginny moaned in pain as Draco lowered her to the floor while the others circled around. "Draco...," she whispered feebly. "Is it really you?" 

"Yeah," he answered, cradling her head. "It's me." 

"I knew you'd save me...I knew-" She lost consciousness as her head rolled back in his arms. Draco shook her, almost violently trying to revive her. 

"Ginny!" He cried out. "Ginny! No!" 

"Malfoy!" Hermione grabbed his arm. "Calm yourself. We have to get out of here and get Ginny back to Hogwarts." 

Draco nodded silently and grabbed his cloak with a free hand, draping it over himself and the unconscious form of Ginny. As they were leaving, he pulled out his wand quickly and muttered, "_Obliviate!_" towards the frozen Death Eater before leaving. 

They quickly exited the same way they came in. Climbing on board their brooms, Harry took the lead while Draco, protectively holding Ginny, brought up the end. They sped off as fast as they could to get back to Hogwarts.   
  
  
  
  


Madame Pomfrey was quite startled to be woken up in the early morning hours with three Gryffindors and a Slytherin barging in with the limp body of Ginny Weasley. The only thing that shocked her more was the condition that Ginny appeared to be in. 

Her white blouse was torn, almost to shreds as the blood from the deep whip cuts clung to the material. Her left sleeve was missing where the arm was covered in blood and an engraving of a dragon could be seen. Then there was the back of her head where there was a large bump and red droplets were dripping from her red tresses. 

Madame Pomfrey hurriedly ordered Draco to place Ginny on one of the beds before ushering them out so she could take care of Ginny. 

Draco paced back and forth as they anxiously awaited news of Ginny's state. Harry was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed tightly while Hermione sat beside Ron, reassuring him Ginny would be fine. 

After what had seemed like ages, she emerged out of the room. With her lips pressed tightly together, she approached the small group. "Miss Weasley has suffered very severe blood loss from wounds on her back, arm, and head. "I've treated her the best I can but she'll need a good, long rest. As for the rest of you-" 

"I'll take it from here, Poppy." Dumbledore had appeared behind the four. "Follow me." He retreated to his quarters, giving the password ("Ice Mice") and ordered them to sit. 

"Professor, I can explain," Draco immediately said. 

"Go right ahead," Dumbledore said, staring at him intently. 

Draco started from when he'd first been assigned to work with Ginny on their DADA project (conveniently leaving out their shared kisses) to the time when she'd woken up in the Infirmary and they'd broken up and then to when she was kidnapped during the blackout. He proceeded to tell Dumbledore about how Pansy Parkinson had told his father about them and to the night's rescue efforts. 

"I see," Dumbledore said when he was finished talking. "That's how it went? That's how it all went?" Draco nodded. "Why didn't you come to me or one of your other professors?" 

Hermione answered for him. "We didn't want to get into any more trouble that we were already in. And we didn't want Mr. Malfoy to discover Mal- Draco here was helping us." 

"I understand your reasoning, but you still should have had better judgment than to go off on some heroic antic that could have ended up with _all _of you dead," Dumbledore scolded. 

"But it was my sister, Professor!" Ron exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Everything we did was in order to save her life!" 

"Ron!" Hermione tugged him back down and shook her head warningly. 

"Mr. Weasley, I know you care deeply for your little sister, but that's not an excuse for putting your lives danger," Dumbledore said, "Voldemort planning his new ritual-" 

"What ritual?" Harry interrupted, speaking for the first time. 

Dumbledore silently berated himself for letting that slip. _I must be getting old_. Then he shrugged. "We don't know what ritual exactly, but we do know it's based on a very old prophecy. For some odd reason, we can't find it in our archives anywhere." 

"What kind of ritual?" Hermione asked. 

"We think it involves a sacrifice, but nothing's for sure," Dumbledore answered. Shaking his head, he realized he'd digressed from the original issue. "Anyway, as a result of your impulsive, foolhardy actions, I am forced to punish you with a two weeks of detention to be served with Madame Pompfrey and twenty house points off for each individual." 

"But Professor-" Ron tried to protest but was prevented when Hermione covered his mouth with her hand. 

"Yes sir," she accepted quickly, not wanting to get into anymore trouble. "May we be released now?" 

Dumbledore nodded and they set off immediately for the hospital wing. Halfway there, Draco stopped. 

"What is it, Malfoy?" Harry asked carefully. 

"Maybe it's best if I don't see her," Draco answered hesitantly. "It wouldn't look right to the rest of the school. If it got out that I was with Ginny again, my father would be very suspicious and Ginny would be in danger once again." 

"Fine," Hermione said. "You go on back. I'll update you on her condition." Draco looked at her gratefully before disappearing under his cloak with his broomstick and leaving the trio. 

"Harry, Ron, maybe you guys should go too," Hermione suggested, "After all that flying and excitement, you guys are probably tired." 

"What about you?" asked Ron. "Aren't you tired?"   
  
"No," Hermione replied, "If anything should happen, I'll contact you two immediately." 

"Alright. Thanks 'Mione," Harry said, giving her a quick hug before stepping back and allowing Ron to do the same. 

"We'll be back in the morning," he whispered and kissed her quickly on her forehead before setting off with Harry. 

_ Tonight has been full of excitement- it's almost too much to take in, _Hermione thought, _At least Ginny's safe._

However, back in her bed in the Infirmary, Ginny was trapped in another one of her haunting dreams filled with her visions of the mysterious girl, the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord, and finally, her near death experience in the Malfoy dungeons.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


NOW I ORDER YOU TO REVIEW!!! Have a nice day!   


Adel Swiftrider   
  
  
  



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